Fragmented Protection – Social Protection for Migrant Workers

In 2020, the extensive consequences of the COVID-19 crisis placed social protection at the center of attention. As the health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19 echoed all over the world, the Jordanian government announced several social protection programs to support workers following the implementation of lockdowns.

However, most of these programs were accessible for Jordanian workers only. The exclusion of migrant and refugee workers occurred despite many of them working in the formal sector and being registered in the Social Security System. Many of these workers could neither benefit from the programs announced by the Social Security Corporation (SSC) nor the National Aid Program.

This study looks at migrant workers’ access to social protection in Jordan. It covers the national legal framework for social protection in Jordan, migrant workers’ contributions to the SSC, the barriers they face accessing social protection programs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on them. At the end of the study, conclusions and recommendations are drawn.

The study was produced by Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights in cooperation with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung - Palestine and Jordan.